Clamp for securing railroad-rails to metal ties.



W. H. MORGAN & W. V. HARTZELL.

CLAMP FOR SECURING RAILROAD RAILS T0 METAL TIES.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.18, 1911.

1,026,105. Patented May 14, 1912.

2 BHEETS-BHEET 1.

WIT ESSES INVENTORS W/ M M Q./ Attorney COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH (IO-WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. H. MORGAN & W. V, HARTZELL.

CLAMP FOR SECURING RAILROAD RAILS T0 METAL TIES.

APPLICATION TILED 111111.18, 1911.

1,026, 1 O5, Patented May 14, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. MORGAN AND WALTER V. HARTZELL, 0F ALLIANCE, OHIO;

I-IARTZELL ASSIGNOR TO SAID MORGAN.

SAID V CLAMP FOR SECURING RAILROAD-RAILS T0 METAL TIES.

Patented May 14, 1912.

Serial No. 615,397.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. MORGAN and WALTER V. HARTZELL, citizens of the United States and residents of Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamps for Securing Railroad- Rails to Metal Ties; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in clamps for securing rail road rails to metal ties.

In pending applications for patents, filed by W. H. Morgan, Jan. 14th, 1911, Serial No. 602,666 and February 2nd 1911, Serial No. 606,246, he has shown and described metal ties, approximately I-shape in cross section and bent into various shapes. In all of them, the end portions of the ties are parallel with each other to form the rail supports, and the base flanges of the rails rest upon the upper surface or flanges of these rail supports.

The object of this present invention is to provide simple and comparatively inexpensive means for securing the rails to the ties.

With this object in view our invention consists in a single piece spring clamp having a jaw to overlap the base flange of the rail, and jaw to underlie the top flange of the tie and engage both with a spring pres sure, one of said jaws having a projection to engage a retaining shoulder on one of said flanges, preferably the flange of the tie, for locking the clamp against the possibility of accidental displacement.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in plan of one form of tie showing rails clamped thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in section of the rail and tie showing the clamps in place. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of a section of a tie and rail, and clamp. Fig. 4 is a View in side elevation of same. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of a portion of the rail supporting member of the tie showing the shoulder engaged by the shoulder on the clamp and Fig. 6 is a view in perspective of a section of the rail supporting member of the tie showing the displacement of the metal to form the ribs on the under face of the upper flange of the tie.

The tie 1 is preferably of I-shape in cross section, its base flange 2 being preferably wider than its top flange 3. This tie is bent into the shape shown, or into any other approved shape, but should have two parallel sections 4, which form the rails supports. The upper surfaces of the sections of the tie are flat as shown in Figs. 2 to 6 inclusive, and are preferably as wide as the base flange 6 of the rail so as to form a solid and substantial support for the rails, and permit of the necessary lateral adjustment of the rails to compensate for wear, and in gaging the rails in new work.

The upper flange of each rail supporting section 4 of the tie, is provided adjacent its opposite edges, with the depending elongated ribs 7 which latter are formed by forcing the metal in said flange downwardly as shown in Fig. 6, the metal thus displaced,

projecting below the top flange 3 of the tie, and forming elongated ribs as shown in Fig. 5. These ribs have beveled or inclined ends 8, and are slightly reduced in depth between the ends so as to form a retaining seat for the clip.

The clamps 9 are U-shape and are made preferably of vanadium steel, or other hard, tough and finely grained steel or iron alloy, heat treated if necessary, and of a size sufficient to withstand the strains and shocks to which they are subjected.

Each clamp consists of an upper jaw 9 and an integral lower jaw 9*, the upper jaw being beveled on its lower side to conform to the bevel of the base flange of the rail, so as to make contact with the rail flange throughout the entire bearing surface of the upper jaw of the clamp. The lower jaw 9 is provided near its inner end with a shoulder 9 adapted when the clamp is in place, to engage the rear side of rib 7 and thus absolutely lock the clamp against outward displacement. In the event the base flange of the rail, be narrower than the top flange of the tie, we prefer to provide the upper jaws of the clamps with the shoulders 9 adapted to bear against the edges of the base flange of the rail and prevent any lateral movement of the latter on the tie.

The jaws of the clamps 9 are normally not separated sufficiently to take in the flanges of the rail and tie, but must be separated and consequently under tension when fully lapping both flanges and necessarily under greater tension when in engagement with the rib 7 hence when the lower aw of the clamp is in engagement with the rib, and with its shoulder 9 behind the rib, the rail will be held solidly in place on the tie, and the clamp locked against the possibility of accidental displacement. It is possible that vibrations caused by moving trains will result in a slight separation of the rail and tie, and consequent spreading of the clamp, but the latter will respond quickly and recover itself immediately, so that at no time will there be any release of the flanges by the jaws of the clamp.

The clamps may be driven endwise over the rib 7, but I prefer to enter the clamps on the flanges adjacent one end of the rib 7, and then drive them sidewise (lengthwise the ribs) onto the ribs until the lower jaw is seated in the central or narrower portion of the rib. This driving of the clamp over the inclined ends of the ribs, gradually puts the clamp under increasing tension which experiments have demonstrated is suflicient to hold the rail solidly in place. Any number (preferably four) of clamps may be used at each end of the tie, and as the clamps engage any part of the base flange of the rail without change or alteration of the latter, it will be seen that no alining of parts is necessary in order to apply the clamps, consequently the latter can be applied rapidly and when once applied, can only be removed by driving it endwise off the rib.

Instead of providing the top flange of the tie with ribs, it may be provided with recesses in which the shoulders 9 will enter, but we prefer the construction previously described, for, with the rib, the tension gradually increased as the clamp is driven home, with but slight relaxation, as the lower jaw settles in the shallower central portion of the rib, thus clamping the parts under maximum tension, whereas with a recess, into which the shoulder on the lower jaw enters, the tension will be considerably relaxed as the shoulder enters the recess.

It is evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in the relative ar rangement of parts shown and described without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention. Hence we would have it understood that we do not wish to confine ourselves to the exact arrangement and construction of parts shown and described, but,

Having fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. A spring clamp for looking a railroad rail to a metal tie having a top flange, the

said clamp comprising two integral jaws, I

the lower one having a projection to engage a retaining shoulder below the top flange of the tie, and the upper jaw to engage a member above said top flange, the said jaws grasping said parts with an elastic force.

2. A spring clamp for locking a railroad rail to a metal tie having a top flange, the said clamp being substantially U-shape, and its lower member or jaw having a projection to engage a retaining shoulder below the top flange of the tie, the said clamp adapted to grasp the parts with an elastir force, and be sprung into position over the part on the top flange that is engaged by the upper jaw of the clamp.

3. A spring clamp for locking a rail road rail to a metal tie having a top flange, [he said clamp being substantially U-shape, its lower member or jaw having a projection to engage a shoulder below the top flange of the tie, and its top member being inclined or beveled on its lower face, the said clamp adapted to grasp the parts with an elastic force.

4. The combination with a tie having top flange forming a support for the rail, a retaining rib below said top flange and a rail resting on said top flange of the tie, of a Ushaped integral. spring metal clamp the upper jaw of which rests on the base flange of the rail, and its lower jaw provided with a shoulder adapted to engage the rear face of said retaining rib.

5. The combination with a tie having a top flange and a rail resting thereon, the said top flange havinga depending rib with inclined ends, of a U-SlhlPGt, integral spring metal clamp, the upper jaw of which rests on the base flange of the rail, its lower jaw being provided with a. shonl der adapted to engage the rear side of the rib for locking the clamp in place.

6. The combination with a tie having a top flange and a rail thereon, the said top flange having a depending elongated rib with inclined ends and a depressed central portion, of a U-shaped integral, spring metal clamp the upper jaw-of which rests on the base flange of the rail, its lower jaw being provided with a shoulder adapted to rest in rear of the rib for locking the clamp to the rail and tie.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses VILLIAM H. MORGAN. VALTER V. HAR'IZIGLL.

Witnesses N. C. FETTERS, J. H. LLOYD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

